A demonstrator wearing a shirt reading 'Bill Clinton Rapist' is escorted out as she protests while US President Barack Obama speaks during a Hillary for America campaign event in Greensboro, North Carolina, October 11, 2016. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 10: A protester wears a shirt with an image of former U.S. president Bill Clinton and the word 'rape' as democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally at Wayne State University on October 10, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. A day after the second presidential debate in St. Louis, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in Michigan and Ohio. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 10: A protester wears a shirt with an image of former U.S. president Bill Clinton and the word 'rape' as democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally at Wayne State University on October 10, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. A day after the second presidential debate in St. Louis, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in Michigan and Ohio. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 13: Protesters wearing Bill Clinton Rape t-shirts stand across the street from the rally featuring Vice President Joe Biden and Catherine Cortez Masto, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Nevada, at the Culinary Worker's Union Local 226 in Las Vegas on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

A demonstrator holds up a picture of former US President Bill Clinton that reads 'RAPE' as US President Barack Obama speaks at a Hillary for America campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, October 14, 2016.
Obama warned 'democracy itself' is on the ballot in November's presidential election, as White House concern grows about the lasting impact of Republican Donald Trump's campaign. / AFP / JIM WATSON / (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 21: A man wears a shirt depicting Former President Bill Clinton and the word 'Rape' outside Quicken Loans Arena on the last day of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday July 21, 2016. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A demonstrator holds up a picture of former US President Bill Clinton that reads 'RAPE' as US President Barack Obama speaks at a Hillary for America campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, October 14, 2016.
Obama warned 'democracy itself' is on the ballot in November's presidential election, as White House concern grows about the lasting impact of Republican Donald Trump's campaign. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

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The Electoral College holds the real power in electing the president of the United States. When the popular vote is tallied, it's to choose who the Electoral College is going to — in theory — vote for.

The thing is, electors in Washington are bound by law to vote for the winner of the popular vote in that state. There's a $1,000 fine for failing to do so.

If he goes through with it, Satiacum would be what's called a "faithless elector." They're pretty rare. Only 157 other electors have become "faithless" in the history of the Electoral College.

The last faithless vote was in 2004 by an anonymous elector in Minnesota. No faithless elector has ever altered the outcome of an election.

Satiacum told Politico the money wasn't even a factor. He's willing to pay the fine if it means voting with his conscience.

There have been other electors who've considered going against the popular vote this cycle. An elector in Texas said he might not vote for Trump, but he has since reversed course.